Action for mechanical musical instruments.



No. 813,480. PATENTED FEB. 27, 1906. A. ZOLLINGBR.

ACTION FOR MECHANICAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

/ APPLICATION FILED AUG. 29.1904.

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A. ZOLLINGBR. ACTION FOR MECHANICAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

APPLIOATION FILED AUG. 29,1904.

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UNITED sTATEs PATENT oFFroE.

ADALBERT ZOLLINGER, OF LEIPSIC-EUTRITZSCH, GERMANY, ASSIGNOR TO .POPPER & (10., OF LEIPSIC, GERMANY.

ACTION FOR MECHANICAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 27, 1906.

Application filed August 29, 1904. Qerial No. 222,552.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ADALBERT ZOLLINGER, a subject of the German Emperor, whose post-oflice address and residence is 24 Querstrasse, Leipsic -Eutritzsch, Germany, have invented certain new .and useful Improvements in Actions for Mechanical Musical Instruments; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to an action for mechanical musical instruments of the class having a rapidly and continuously oscillating hammer action for tremolo effects, and the improved action herein requires considerably less expenditure of power than those at present in use and insures the more reliable action of the hammers.

In the mechanical instruments as constructed hitherto the hammers are attached, by means of flexible rods, to a continuously-oscillating lever or jack. Each of the hammers which are not oscillating is held by a locking device, and the different locking devices are released by means of pneumatic mechanism, according to the music, so that the respective hammers are set free to act. The result of this arrangement is that in consequence of the continuous oscillation of the jack or hopper most of the hammer-lever springs are continuously compressed, so that considerable and entirely unnecessary expenditure of power is required for actuating the jack. Moreover, the hammer-locking device, which likewise is under tension owing to the continuous oscillation of the jack. does not act reliably-and often gives rise to false music. By means of the new action the disadvantages mentioned are obviated and considerably less expenditure of power required.

The arrangement of the mechanism is as follows:

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side View with the hammer in the striking position. Fi 2 a similar view with the hammer in the position of rest.

The jack or hopper a isarranged. apart from the hammers I) and, as hitherto, is continuously oscillated. The oscillations, however, do not act simultaneously on all the hammers, but only on -those which are allowed to come into action through the medium of pneumatic mechanism It i is, controlled by the tune-sheet through the tube Z. For this purpose each of the different hammers b is arranged on an angle lever or butt (1, pivoted at c, the butt (I being connected with the pneumatic mechanism by means of a spring f. When the pneumatic mechanism is in the position shown in Fig. 1, the free arm of the butt (1 comes within range of the continuously-oscillating jack a, Fig. 1, and the hammer strikes. When the pneumatic device is in the position shown in Fig. 2, the butt dis pulled out rendered stationary through the action of the spring g, Fig. 2.

The pneumatic mechanism and the means of'regulating the piano and forte action may of range of the jack on and be replaced by any other mechanism and the I string-damping device be actuated in any manner.

The most important features of the invention are the arrangement of the freely-oscillating jack a, which is only intendedto cause the hammer released by the tune-sheet to strike, and its special action in combination with the hammer-butts d.

' What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an action for mechanical musical instruments, the combination with a continuously-oscillating jack or hopper device, of pivoted angle'levers or butts, a hammer fixed to one arm of each angle-lever, means connected with the other arm for normally holding the lever out of the path of the jack, and

means for actuating each lever separately and bringing them into the path of the jack according to the note to be struck.

2. In an action for mechanical musical in struments, the combination with a continuously-oscillating jack or hopper device, of pivoted angle levers or butts, a hammer fixed to one arm of each lever, a spring connected to the other arm and adapted to withdraw it from the path of the jack, and pneumaticallycontrolled mechanism flexibly connected with each lever and adapted to bring the butts separately into the path of the jack according to the note to be struck.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ADALBERT ZOLLINGER.

Witnesses .I'IERM. SACK, RUDOLPH FRIcKE. 

